GFP News - february 9, 2015

Effective March 2: Use of Hounds when Hunting Mountain Lions Outside the Black Hills

PIERRE, S.D. - On Jan. 15, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission adopted a rule change to allow the use of hounds for hunting mountain lions outside of the Black Hills Fire Protection District. As the final step to complete the rule establishment process, the newly adopted rules have been filed with the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office.

Effective March 2, 2015, this new rule allows resident hunters to use hounds to pursue mountain lions year-round on private land outside of the Black Hills with permission of the landowner or lessee. However, hunters may continue onto School and Public Lands or Bureau of Land Management lands if the pursuit originates on private property.

Reetz Lake Walleye Regulations Reminder

PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) wants to remind anglers fishing on Reetz Lake, in northeast South Dakota, that the daily limit for walleye is one fish with a minimum length limit of 28 inches.

“We have received recent reports that some anglers may be unaware of the length limit,” stated John Lott, GFP chief of aquatic resources. “Proper signage indicating this regulation was also recently stolen and has since been replaced. Anglers who observe the harvesting of sub-legal walleyes are encouraged to report this activity to our TIPS hotline at 1.888.OVERBAG (683.7224).”

Reetz Lake has been managed as a trophy walleye fishery since 2001 and provides high catch rates of quality-sized walleyes. It is estimated that 4,559 walleyes greater than 20 inches were present in 2014. In addition to walleyes, anglers also have other fishing opportunities for yellow perch, black crappie and smallmouth bass.

“Protecting our natural resources is something we can all help to do. Follow the regulations and if you are unsure, check in with your local conservation officer or refer to the fishing handbook and other online resources,” concluded Lott.

Fishing rules and regulations can be found online at http://gfp.sd.gov/fishing-boating/rules-regs.aspx. Here anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts can download the 2015 Fishing Handbook online or on their mobile device to stay current with new rules and regulations.

Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

PIERRE, S.D. - The 17th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 13-16, 2015, allows millions of novice and accomplished bird watchers to count birds wherever they are and enter their results online at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/. Participation in the event is free and the reports create a real-time picture of where birds are across the continent and contribute valuable information for science and conservation.

All individuals can participate in the count, from beginning bird watchers to seasoned experts. During the count, bird watchers tally up birds for as little as 15 minutes, or for as long as they like, keeping track of the highest number of each bird species they see together at one time. Individuals are encouraged to report birds from public lands, local parks and from their backyards.

The annual event is led by the National Audubon Society, the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada.